Nick Marshall hits completion percentage goal for spring

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Nick Marshall improved not only in his comfort level with the Auburn offense this spring, but he also met the goal of a better completion percentage.

Marshall spent off time in the winter working with Auburn's receivers and that along with 15 spring practices paid off.

Auburn offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee pegged "between 65 and 70 percent" as the objective for Marshall in his first spring practice on the Plains and the returning starter met it.

"He was 64 percent in 7-on-7 all spring and he was almost 70 percent in team setting in practice," Lashlee said during an appearance at the Greater Nashville Auburn Club's annual meeting Thursday night.

Marshall earned A-Day Offensive MVP honors after going 13-for-22 (59.1 percent) for 236 yards and four touchdowns, which was in line with his 59.4 completion percentage from last season.

Lashlee and coach Gus Malzahn do not put much a lot of weight in all the numbers from the spring game though, especially considering it was against a mostly second and third-string defense.

"Even in the spring game, the casual eye could see, he's a lot more relaxed," Malzahn said. "He's throwing on the bounce, his eyes are in the right place with his progression."

Lashlee said Marshall is "up there" with quarterbacks who played in Malzahn's Hurry-Up, No-Huddle system in the past.

"It was kind of uncharted territory for me and coach to have a returning starter go through spring," Lashlee said. "From that standpoint there's no one to compare him to, but for guys from the past, it was there, it was up there. In fairness to the other guys, he had a whole season they didn't have and it was their first exposure. I thought he was really good."

Lashlee and Malzahn hope Marshall can be like former Arkansas State quarterback Ryan Aplin, who increased his completion percentage and touchdowns and cut down on interceptions in 2012.

Marshall is the most efficient returning passer in the SEC. He's also the first college quarterback to return for a second season under Malzahn and after helping lead the Tigers to the biggest turnaround in SEC history and within 13 seconds of a BCS National Championship, expectations are high.

(He's familiar) with a lot of the receivers, other than (D'haquille) Williams is the new guy, so he should have a good grasp on that," Malzahn said. "And then the running backs, he's fairly familiar with those. He's very comfortable."